The invention relates to a freight compartment for a motor vehicle as well as a sectioning device therefor.
It is known to provide attaching eyes on a freight floor of a freight compartment of a motor vehicle, by means of which lashing devices can be fixed in position on the vehicle, and which hold packages on the freight compartment floor.
It is the problem of the invention to create a freight compartment as well as a sectioning device of the kind referred to above which will permit improved utilization of the freight compartment.
This problem is solved for the freight compartment in that at least one sectioning device is provided for dividing the freight compartment into at least two spaces. The sectioning device can be in the form of a simple divider or of a complex device by providing at least one flexible or at least partially stiff divider in a corresponding enclosure. Preferably, at least one divider of the at least one sectioning device serves for the vertical separation of the freight compartment into at least two sections of space adjoining one another in the direction of the vehicle""s length and/or transversely thereof.
In an embodiment of the invention the sectioning device has at least one divider that is flexible or at least of stable shape in sections, which can be shifted between a rest position and an active position, and which in its active position divides the freight compartment into at least two sections of space, the at least one divider being sunken in its rest position in at least one recess in a boundary surface of the freight compartment, especially in a freight compartment floor. The divider is thus housed in its rest position in the freight compartment so compactly and invisibly that the entire volume of the freight compartment is available for loading and unloading. The configuration is especially advantageous for a trunk compartment situated in a rear deck of a passenger car. The divider can be mounted or housed either in its own housing or directly in the recess. In addition to the freight compartment floor, the sides of the freight compartment, including the front and rear sides as well as the roof of the freight compartment, which in a passenger car is situated directly under a back shelf of the vehicle""s interior, also serve as defining surfaces.
In a further embodiment of the invention the at least one recess in the boundary surface can be closed by at least one cover. This cover can be matched in its dimensions to the dimensions of the opening of the recess. However, it can also be a section of a larger surface covering which forms a lining of the corresponding boundary surface. For this purpose a floor carpet or a wide wall liner can be provided.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a side wall of the freight compartment is provided as a boundary surface, and a flap turning on a hinge which can be locked in the closed covering position by a locking device is provided to serve as a roof. Simple releasable catches, bolts, hook-and-loop closures, pushbuttons or other releasable devices can be provided as locking devices.
According to the invention the sectioning device is provided with at least one flexible dividing wall or one that is at least stable in shape in sections, which can be aligned and affixed to the vehicle in the freight compartment. The divider in that case can preferably be shifted to different positions, and can be locked especially in a space-saving rest position and in a space dividing active position. The term, freight compartment, also includes a trunk compartment for sedans or fastback passenger cars.
In an embodiment of the sectioning device, the divider has a frame of stable shape which is mounted for swiveling on the wall of the freight compartment between a rest position lying against the wall and an active position dividing the freight compartment into at least two space sections. The sectioning device is preferably provided for the trunk compartment of a sedan, the frame in that case being advantageously arranged on a roof of the trunk compartment and swung down to its active position. In its active position the frame extends over the entire height of the trunk compartment between the trunk compartment floor and the roof of the trunk compartment, so that a division of the trunk compartment is created by the frame. The frame is preferably mounted so as to be able to turn on an axis running transversely in the vehicle. However, it can also be arranged to turn about an axis in line with the length of the vehicle, so that in its active position it divides a section of space underneath the roof of the trunk compartment into two sections parallel and side-by-side lengthwise of the vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the invention, locking means are provided on the frame which fix the frame in its active position on corresponding holding means affixed to the freight compartment. These locking means are preferably catches easily operated by hand, which either snap into their locking position on the holding meansxe2x80x94preferably spring-loadedxe2x80x94affixed to the freight compartment, or are shifted manually into the locking position. The locking means are released likewise by hand.
In a further embodiment of the invention, means for securing the frame in its rest position lying against the wall are associated with the frame. These securing means can be in the form of simple turning hooks, pawls or locks, all releasable manually. It is also possible to integrate such securing and locking means for fixing the frame in its active position and in its rest position directly into a hinge system for swiveling the frame on the wall of the freight compartment. A manually releasable pawl unit is especially suitable which is associated with a ratchet wheel which can rotate about the pivot axis together with the frame.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the frame is provided on at least one side with a holding bar on which additional functional devices can be releasably fastened. Such additional functional devices can be provided in various forms. For example, a box holding a concealing tarpaulin or security roller shade can be affixed to the holding bar. It is also possible to fasten additional sectioning units releasably to the holding bar, which only divide the freight compartment floor without reaching up to the full height of the freight compartment. The functional devices can also be receivers or containers for different kinds of materials to be carried in the vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one sectioning unit that can be aligned transversely of the active position of the frame is provided as a functional unit.
In a further embodiment, the sectioning unit is a barrier loop which is disposed on a supporting post which can be moved along its mounting profile. At the same time only one single barrier loop may be provided on the mounting profile of the frame. However, two or more barrier loops can be provided. Due to the ability of the at least one barrier loop to be shifted linearly it is possible to make the sections of the freight compartment variable according to the goods that are to be transported.
In a further embodiment of the invention, means are associated with the at least one barrier loop to lock the barrier loop in any desired intermediate position. This assures that the barrier loop is locked in the position established on the mounting profile and thus on the frame. The barrier loop extends preferably over only a portion of the height of the frame and thus only over a part of the height of the trunk or freight compartment.
In a further development of the invention a clamping bar extending at least approximately over the entire length of the mounting profile is provided, which is associated with the supporting post and is recessed at least partially in the holding bar and can pivot around its longitudinal axis, the clamping bar being configured off-center at least in sections from its longitudinal axis such that the supporting post can be locked or released when the holding bar is turned relative to the holding bar. This embodiment is advantageous especially when more than one barrier loop is provided, since all of the barrier loops together can be locked or released for longitudinal displacement by turning the holding bar. The holding bar is provided preferably at a central point with a gripping element by which the holding bar can be turned manually and thus operated to release or lock the supporting posts. It is thus possible by a single hand operation to release or lock the holding bar and thus the at least one barrier loop.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one barrier loop is mounted on its associated mounting post for turning between a folded rest position to a deployed active position. This assures that the at least one barrier loop is compactly arranged in its rest position on the frame. The at least one barrier loop can thus be turned together with the frame to its rest position.
Additional advantages and features of the invention are to be found in the following description of embodiments of the invention, some of which are represented in the drawings.